Milk + manual

It took a modest carton of milk to highlight how much product information we are now bombarded with.

Not that long ago, most people had their milk delivered to the doorstep by electric milk-floats using reusable glass bottles - and all very environmentally-friendly, too. I can't remember in detail but am pretty sure that the information on the bottle was limited to the name of the dairy, the type of milk and quantity, and probably some slogan such as "please rinse and return".

Today, I was suddenly struck by the welter of information on the modern plastic milk container. There was a label going round three sides, with all sorts of facts, warnings and advice which, frankly, was of very marginal interest but seemingly essential to provide in the eyes of the company marketing department. I counted a total of 210 words (longer than this post) and 52 separate numbers, plus numerous symbols and the ubiquitous bar code.

Do we really need to be advised on the side of a milk container to consult a freezer manual for advice on freezing? Or that it is best to store milk upright after opening? Just who is this patronising piffle aimed at, I wonder?